Who cares if you sing truth to a kid? Especially if it’s a very young kid. Because they’re not even gonna know or care if it’s true or not anyway right? They’ll just trust you. Or whatever grown up is in charge.

Well, at least if singing to, and with, a kid is part of your approach to spending quality time together. But if it’s not, then you can at least talk truth to a kid. Because, no matter, what truth matters. Or maybe I should say THE truth matters.

And here’s the main reason why I say that.

Because THE truth makes them free and gives them hope. But you know what doesn’t do any of that? Being taught that we all just got here by chance. That we all just crawled out of the ocean and started our happy journey toward turning into human beings. That’s right boys and girls. You used to be slime. Then you were a fish. Then you were a monkey. And finally, you were a brilliant human. And everyone lived happily ever after.

The trouble with all that stinkin’ thinkin’ is that it teaches kids to believe they’re just another animal. And you know how animals are. Whatever they feel like doing they do. Including having sex right out in the open. Going to the bathroom wherever they feel like it. And even eating other animals alive.

Because I want everybody to have hope. It’s good to know that you were made in the image and likeness of God. And it’s mighty nice to realize there’s a paradise waiting for you when your time here on earth is over.

Who knows? Maybe if most people knew that, there wouldn’t be so many dark, apocalyptic movies. Maybe there would be a lot more happy ending movies and TV shows. And maybe, now this is a big maybe, positive respectful language could be the norm. And most F-bombs and other filthy talk would just fade away.

I remember, from several years ago, a couple of people we know using foul language around their kids. And Elgielene asked them why they did that. And the mom said “They’re gonna learn it somewhere.”

That’s probably true. But it doesn’t mean they have to learn it in at home. And certainly not from their own parents. Yeesh

I’d rather help little kids grow up, knowing the one true, living, loving creator of the universe will never leave them nor forsake them. And help them have the hope of a glorious, perfect eternal life. So I write that message. And I sing that message. And I share that message just about every chance I get.

Like I did in this lullaby from my Bedtime Buckaroos  lullaby songs collection:

It’s time…to let the daylight fly

And wear your music pajamas.

Night winds…float down from falling stars.

Chorus

© 2011 Tony Funderburk

Get the Bedtime Buckaroos coloring and drawing songbook delivered to your inbox and start enjoying it with your special kid or kids or grandkids in just a few minutes from now. https://www.TonyFunderburk.com/books Click or tap on the link, and scroll down to about the middle of the page where you’ll find it.

Stay tuned,

The post Sing truth to a kid. Yeah, that’s what I did appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

Do these sound like masculine traits? Decisiveness, assertiveness, and confidence? I think they certainly SHOULD sound like masculine traits. And I believe those traits can be instilled into boys in ways that help them develop leadership skills.

Let me ask you this? Do you think that’s happening in America these days? I don’t. At least not as a rule. Only as the exception. The general rule has turned to females in charge of little boys. And a majority of those little boys have turned into pasty-faced, video-playing mama’s boys who act way too feminine.

Well, here’s some reasoning I read in a bullet list somewhere online. It said, “Boys who are taught to lead with integrity and respect can become leaders in their communities, workplaces, and families, promoting positive change and setting examples for others.”

Yeah, OK. Nothing particularly wrong about that. But it uses two overused clichés. “Promoting positive change.” And “setting examples for others.”

And I exiled those two phrases to cliché status because they don’t actually say anything. For example, what one person might call “positive change” another person might say is too crazy to even consider. And what kinds of examples should be set for others? Who gets to determine what they should be?

I’ll tell you who, here in the FunderSphere, gets to say what positive change is and what kinds of examples should be set. Mister Tony. That’s who. Uh-oh. Did I just put myself in charge of what’s right and wrong? You bet I did. But before you go ballistic, berserk, and bonkers on me for doing something so unthinkable, let me use some of my hard-earned leadership skills and ‘splain it just a step or two further.

And since that includes me, I look for real truth. I found real Truth when I was only 13. And every time I’ve zig-zagged away from that Truth, I knew it was me who moved. Not Truth.

So, when I want to share actual, man-building truth with kids (at least the male kids), I go to the Manufacturer’s manual. And I look for the solid answers there that are always right. Always on target. And always based in God’s love for anyone who loves Him.

Then, I take those answers I find, in the manual, and I convert them into easy-to-understand nuggets of knowledge and insert them into Christian books for kids, rhymes, songs, and videos.

Here’s a short, to-the-point example:

There’s a life inside of you, and it comes from God,

And that ain’t never gonna change no matter how much haters try to change it.

Now, take a second and join the growing body of believers who’ve already signed up for the TRUTH Journal. And, to show my sincere appreciation for your time and attention, I’ll send you download links to 2 of my books and 2 songs, right away, that grownups AND kids can enjoy. Then, I’ll do my best to encourage you to sing a new song with the power of God’s love.

Stay tuned,

The post Leadership skills that true love instills appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

Here’s the three-step process a hypocrite uses to become one. Point finger. Say stuff. Play the sound of their own voice back in their head.

Hmm. I see no hands raised. And, as Martha Steward used to say, that’s a good thing.

Because I know you’re like me. We’ve all certainly done things, in this life, we’re not proud of (or as the school teachers from the olden days would say, of which we’re not proud).

I know my faults and fails stack high.

But thankfully my shortcomings aren’t what keep me out of Heaven. And, by the way, it’s not my good deeds that get me there either. Nope. It’s not about me. It’s not about how wonderful or how miserable I am. And it’s not even about the donations I make to church or charities. It’s not about the people I know or the clothes I wear or the car I drive. Nope. It’s ALL about my relationship with my awesome Creator.

He is THE Christ. The one that, without Him, not even the “great and powerful Oz” would have ever been invented. The one who could actually create a “horse of a different color” if He felt like it. Oops, I didn’t mean to fly over the rainbow there. It was kind of a point finger say stuff moment. Sorry.

Anyway…

How about you and me taking the road less traveled, through the narrow gate? Let’s do our best to think first and not be hypocrites. And how about we follow…

Judge me; I need to be judged

Show me what I need to see

And I have to trust that my God is just

Search me for the deeper things

Listen to my fervent prayer

Chorus

Make me to always understand

inst…Chorus to end

© Copyright 1998 Tony Funderburk

So…do you call yourself a Christian?

Take a second and join the growing body of believers who’ve already signed up for the TRUTH Journal. When you do, I’ll send you links to 2 songs and 2 books that adults AND kids enjoy right away. Then, I’ll send you flashes of light from the faith, hope, and the power of God’s love.

Stay tuned,

The post Point finger, say stuff, that shows you don’t know enough appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

I’ve lived several decades on this little blue planet. And, as long as I can remember I’ve heard people talk about world peace. And I’ve heard and seen the world peace news on radio and TV. But the world seems to always snatch war from the jaws of peace every time. Have you noticed that?

During my time on Earth there have always been wars. We’ve been fortunate here in America. Because we haven’t seen actual war on our soil for a long time. But I figure it’s only a matter of time. Especially since hostile invaders cross our borders every day unvetted.

Anyway…

And that’s because most people refuse to allow the peace of God to rule in their hearts. Probably because they don’t like how the peace of God isn’t based on arbitrary human emotions. It’s based on Truth and Life. And most people believe “your truth is yours” and “my truth is mine.” Same people who love to say “love is love.” Yeesh.

When you understand you had a beginning designed by the Creator of all things, you can begin to understand the importance real Truth and Life. And it’s basic. It’s fundamental. It’s simple. Truth exists because God exists. And God is the source of all life. You can know that you know. And that knowledge gives peace you can’t find anywhere else.

They’d rather wander, ignorantly, through their life. Searching for answers based on their preconceived notions. Or, worse, their flawed learning process (translation: public schooling). And they choose to live esoteric, experiential lives. But that’s a dark, rocky road, with treacherous turns, that leads to the center of the Earth.

Yeah, I’m one of those wacky Christians who believes in right and wrong. And I take the road less travelled. The road that leads to the narrow gateway to Heaven. But I have at least one thing that no unbeliever will ever have. The world peace news that’s above and beyond human comprehension.

Good news is, it’s a free gift from God.

Ironically, in the world of advertising, the word “free” tends to increase sales and profits. But a free gift from God tends to cause eyes to glaze over and hearts to harden.

I’m sure glad that’s not you and me. Can I get an Amen?

Spoon-feed the apathy and watch it grow

(from my song, “Cold Hard Truth”)

Jump on the The TRUTH and be part of the growing band of believers who wanna show the world that life has Rhyme and Reason because God made us.

Stay tuned,

The post World peace news just in. Same as it’s ever been. appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

I get it. You’ve heard it all before. Right? And if you have to listen to one more person spout off about how “God so loved the world blah, blah, blah, you’ll scream. But here’s the thing.

It’s testable. And it comes through with flying colors every time it’s tested. But that makes it detestable to all those who love to fly their colors on rebellious, satin flags. Yeah, in case you haven’t heard me or someone else say this before, Truth Is Hate To Those Who Hate The Truth.

A guy, named Solomon, wrote “there is nothing new under the sun.”

In a way, that’s true. But it’s important to note how Solomon was a miserable shadow of his former self when he wrote that. And it’s also important to note that, sure, we have the same ingredients to work with as all the generations before us. But that doesn’t mean we can’t make a “new” loaf of bread. Or a “new song.”

That’s why I’m always looking for a “new” way to manipulate the 26 letters of the English alphabet and the 12 notes in a chromatic music scale. Because I might manage to manipulate a message (how’s that for some authoritative alliteration?) into something that could change the course of someone’s eternity.

And nothing could be more valuable than that.

So, even though you think you’ve heard it all before, I’ll still keep plugging. Because you could be that someone.

There’s nothing new to say today,

You’ve probably heard it all before

But maybe this will flash a light

Now, even though there’s nothing new

God did the deed you could not do.

In words and songs that I have shared

But will you pay attention to

You’ll see, one day, you had a choice

© 2020

The post Heard it all before and don’t wanna hear no more appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

My brother and I had a two-week booking in Erie, Pennsylvania. And we had just arrived. We unloaded our music gear and clothes and took them into the hotel. But I left a few boxes and assorted items in the back of my pickup. Because it was our first night in town. And we were tired from a long drive. Plus, the truck was parked inside the hotel’s “secure” lot for guests. So, no problem, right?

The next morning I went down to my pickup to go somewhere for lunch. And, as I approached the pickup, I noticed the hatch lift to my topper was open. Not a good sign. When I went around to look, I found papers and all sorts of things torn and tossed all around. Some of my personal property, including a can with a substantial amount of coins, was gone. As you might guess, I was livid.

Side note: synonyms for livid (and they all apply): furious, angry, infuriated, irate, fuming, raging, seething, incensed, enraged, angered, beside oneself, wrathful, ireful, maddened, cross, annoyed, irritated, exasperated, indignant; informal mad, boiling, wild, seeing red, hot under the collar, up in arms, foaming at the mouth, on the warpath, steamed up

If you’ve never felt violated like that, consider yourself fortunate. When someone crosses the line of your property, even if it’s in the back of your car or pickup, that’s already a violation. But when they steal what you’ve worked hard for, that’s an exponential increase to the violation.

Because, of course, nothing was ever recovered. And my insurance wouldn’t cover it because they said I hadn’t properly protected my property. So, property lost. Lividity vented. And lesson learned.

But one of the reasons I brought this up is because of how many Americans don’t seem to even feel the slightest bit violated by criminals crossing our property lines. And so many Americans aren’t livid about how much of our money is stolen, by our own government, to give to those criminals. It’s demented, despicable, and devoid of intelligence.

Trillions of dollars in debt. And yet, somehow, politicians find a way to take YOUR money and give it to criminals. Yes, criminals. Every single person who crosses property lines (aka: the border) without going through the gate, is a criminal.

I don’t care if it’s a family of four who want “a better life.” And I don’t care if it’s a guy who “just wants to get a better job so he can take care of his family.” When you enter someone’s property without an invitation, you ARE a criminal!

But no problem. Right? Or, should I say, “no problemo?”  It’s just people moving from one place to another. Hey, I’ve done that a lot of times. And each one of those times was to set up something better.

So, what makes me think I can move around to different parts of the world and others can’t? Nothing. I never said that. But the difference is, I didn’t cross somebody’s property lines illegally. And I didn’t steal money from other people in order to make my move.

Because I was born into a country where I was at least free enough to pursue my dreams and goals. But even if I wanted to go live somewhere else in the world, I’d be sure to follow their rules for entry and citizenship. As long as they didn’t violate basic human rights to life and liberty, no problem.

So, there you have it. From feeling violated in Erie, Pennsylvania to an eerie violation of our national sovereignty. Do I know how to rant or what?!

Speaking of ranting. Here are the lyrics to a song I wrote after the incident in Erie.

Sometimes this world brings my bad side out.

And it’s just like the drifting of the sand,

Sometimes I need just to air things out.

Repeat chorus…inst…ad lib chorus to end

© 1989 Tony Funderburk

Why linger in Neverland. Instead, get all my really refreshing Rhymes and Reasons the easy way. Just jump on the The TRUTH. And I’ll send them directly to your inbox. Do it now, and you’re only a couple of clicks or taps away from some complimentary songs and some other surprises: https://www.TonyFunderburk.com

Stay tuned,

The post No problem, no problemo. Oh yeah? Well, here’s the memo. appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

This dreadful message is dark. Too dark for the front page news and prime time. So, you won’t see or hear it unless you tune into channels where people share the truth even when it’s unpopular. I’ve shared that kind of truth for decades. And I haven’t enjoyed even one day of it. Not even before I lost most of my “friends” because I dared to speak up this way.

Of course, my humble publication is far from a worldwide phenomenon. But it CAN be seen and heard worldwide. At least for now. And I can see, with the help of analytics software, that my posts and podcast episodes are seen and heard by a lot of people in parts of the world I’ll never visit.

And here’s the reason I bring it up. Because, after almost 60 years, there’s still a killing spree going on right here in America (and around the world), and the vast majority of human beings couldn’t care less.

If someone took a so-called “assault weapon” into crowded areas and killed over 1000 people a day, don’t you think they’d be front page news? They’d be top story on every TV “news” channel. And their face would be plastered on every media around the world. Especially if the “news” organization could spin the story into some sort of white and right wing connection.

Of course, if someone could kill that many innocent bystanders, their evil face SHOULD be known to all.

And only “right-wing extremists” like me seem to be willing to tell the story.

But I gotta tell you something about me. I Hate, with a capital H, to tell this story. Because it exposes the awful truth about my country. And I love America. But America has gone the way of every other powerful nation or empire in history. We’re no longer the bright, beacon of hope to a wayward world.

I wrote a song about this back in 2002. It’s not an upbeat song. It’s not an anthem. And it’s not a song that’ll ever get any “airplay” or streaming time. But I wanted to write a song about this dark side of our culture in a way that maybe gave the story some humanity. You can let me know if you think it does that.

Side note: the song mentions 40 years. Sadly, another 20 years has been added. Wouldn’t it be awesome to wake up to this front page news, tomorrow? “Legalized Abortion Abolished”

Way down along the river,

Been forty years in this killin’ spree…

Inside a broken promise

chorus

Where we gonna go?

© 2002

Stay tuned,

Enjoying the radically sensible Rhyme and Reason world? Don’t stop. Dive into much more.

Buy books and music from me:

Or tell those you care about to jump on the The TRUTH: https://www.TonyFunderburk.com OR Get the The Power of God’s Love Podcast: https://www.tonyfunderburk.com/fundercast

The post Front page news won’t show these views appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

Before I get into what a mess you are, let me first say Happy Super Tuesday. I have no clue what that means. But apparently there’s some holiday being celebrated, and that’s what they call it. Now, where was I? Oh yeah. You’re a mess. I know you are. Beyond a shadow of a doubt. And I know it because it’s a human condition. Bad choices. And a strong tendency toward selfishness. Trouble is, there’s no cure for it. Because, as a whole, humans don’t learn from their mistakes. We don’t know our history. So, we’re probably doomed to repeat it.

1. Truth: Control freaks cast shadows on the truth. Truth is their mortal enemy. So they have to pound out lies, with consistent resolve, until the truth becomes nothing more than a cloudy concept. Truth becomes “whatever you make of it.” Or whatever is “right in their own minds.” Nazis believed all you need to do to twist a lie into the truth is tell one that’s “big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually become to believe it.” Of course, that happens all around you, everywhere, every day. All you gotta do is pay attention.

2. Morality: This is another area under constant attack by those who want to justify their behavior. When you reduce right and wrong to whatever is “right in their own minds,” you produce a culture where anything goes. Then everything goes…out the window. Who knows where that might lead? You might even find adults killing babies. Well, at least that couldn’t happen here in America. Right? So, let’s don’t think about that. Let’s go shopping.

3. Property: Once people realized they could vote the money away from the wealthy and into their own pockets, then the proverbial (and political) genie was out of the bottle. So, politicians run for office (and win) using promises based on redistribution of wealth. It’s not just wrong. It’s evil. Because it destroys lives. But who cares, right? It’s just the way things are. The status quo. I’m gonna get mine as long as the gettin’s good. Ok, where do we sign up?

Well, here’s what I think about it. Beyond a shadow of a doubt…

Take the truth and lock it up, and throw away the key

Nothin’s sacred anymore.

Cast your vote for social growth and then say yes to law

Nothin’s sacred anymore.

More! More space and time. More would be sublime.

© 2002

(lyrics and song found in one of my songbook journals on Amazon)

Stay tuned,

Enjoying the radically sensible Rhyme and Reason world? Don’t stop. Dive into much more.

Buy books and music from me:

Or tell those you care about to jump on the The TRUTH: https://www.TonyFunderburk.com OR Get the The Power of God’s Love Podcast: https://www.tonyfunderburk.com/fundercast

The post Shadow of a doubt leads to being left out appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

There’s no such thing as actual transgender. Sure, you can make up words and apply whatever touchy feely definitions you devise in your own mind. But just saying it doesn’t make it true.

You can identify. But it doesn’t change your identity.

And Christians should know that better than anyone.

So, it seems almost unthinkable that someone who call himself a Christian would also “identify as a transgender man.” And that last sentence is blurry since I’m talking about someone who “identifies” as a “transgender man.” Because that person was born a female.

At so-called “news report” started out with “Caught between his Christian faith and what some Americans view as a deepening assault on transgender rights, Zayn Silva remembers the moment he decided to fight back.”

Apparently Zayn was denied admission to a seminary after identifying as a transgender man. If Zayn truly believed in tolerance and diversity, that would have been that. But, nope. Zayn wouldn’t think of allowing opposing views on gender identity and so-called “sexual orientation.” Because wants to receive tolerance. Not give it.

They don’t want to simply “coexist.” They want Christian believers, those who believe the Bible is true (even the “mean parts”) to not exist at all. Of course, they won’t say that. And they deny that truth. But, remember, they also deny their own chromosomal design.

So, the article I read about Zayn shared this:

“Silva is one of dozens of LGBTQ+ Americans suing the U.S. Department of Education, challenging a law that allows religious colleges to discriminate based on the sex of students and applicants, even when those schools receive millions in federal funding.”

I see three main irritating points in that little paragraph.

First, Silva’s intolerance of the rights of religious colleges. Second, the fact that people any Americans can sue the government or its departments at the cost of their fellow taxpayers (and even themselves). And third, the evil theft that has to occur in order for there to be federal funding for ANY school, even religious ones.

But, we’ve gotten to the point, in America and the world, where the wrong has become the norm.

The article said Zayn’s lawsuit “has arrived at a moment when federal courts, including the Supreme Court, are increasingly siding with religious groups over gay and transgender rights.”

Sadly, that’s not likely to remain true.

OK, the “Supreme Court backed a graphic artist who will decline to design wedding websites for same-sex marriage.” And “a federal appeals court, in Cincinnati this month, ruled that a Tennessee ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors may be enforced for now.”

Not a recognition of right and wrong.

And, if you call yourself a Christian, it means you acknowledge there IS such a thing as right and wrong. And you also acknowledge that God is the one who determined that, long before you were born. Plus, you know the Bible is a recording of God’s word. And you know what God’s word says about homosexuality. (hint: He’s anti gay)

This trans agenda is not to gain recognition and rights. It’s to find even more ways to thumb noses and flip certain fingers at God. That’s why I love my dazed and confused neighbors enough to tell them that their “lifestyle choice” is a ticket to hell. AND I hate them for what they do to themselves, to children, and to others who have to tolerate them.

Their gender confusion and delusion even convolutes journalistic reports. For example, reporters end up writing sentences like this: “Silva said it was an especially challenging time, given his upbringing and faith, when he realized at around age 12 that he was no longer comfortable as a female.”

That’s whacko. “He was no longer comfortable as a female.”

Then people, like Zayn, get even more insidiously confused. As in this sentence from the article: “After years of fighting it, Silva decided to align his faith with his identity, helping young people at his church and their parents navigate their own sexuality and gender identity.”

I don’t even want to imagine being a parent who’s actually willing to listen to a female claiming to be a male. Much less being a parent who’d take any advice from that person who also claims to be a Christian.

I’m a guy who identifies as a person in need of a savior. And I identify as a guy because my chromosomes, included in my genetic makeup at conception, prove I’m a guy. My gender isn’t determined by my feelings.

 God created only male and female. Not people who can trans into whatever they feel like.

Zayn apparently said, “Plenty of religious families are looking for ways to reconcile their faith and sexuality without being humiliated or ostracized to help them accept and feel loved.”

See? Feelings. Not Truth. Feelings.

And those dazed and delusional feelings often lead to costly, lengthy court battles these days.

But right and wrong are determined by the constitution, the courts, or even popular conformity. And when a person, like Silva, can say, “This journey has increased my faith significantly,” it emphasizes the main point:

Faith in who? Self? Or the one, true, living, loving God of all creation?

You don’t have to agree with God’s word in the Bible. You can be your own god if you prefer.

But I highly recommend you reconsider, if that’s you. Because ideas have consequences. And there’s no such thing as neutral territory with God.

Do you see the pattern form

Stay tuned,

The post No such thing as transgender and one day you’ll return to sender appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

Here’s a tough one, even for Christians. God is not currently in charge of this world. And again, Jesus tells us that. Three times! He WILL rule this world one day. But He currently does NOT rule. And the evidence should be as clear as the daily news.

I know you literally hear, in just about every Christian circle, that you need to “trust God’s plan.” Or that you just might not understand what He’s doing because His ways are higher than ours. Sorry (not sorry) if this offends you, but that’s childish theology. And it’s time to put away childish things.

Your righteous, loving Creator does have A PLAN. But He did NOT plan the course of history.

But He did not make infinite plans for the infinite potential of directions billions of lives could go each and every day. God is infinitely more brilliant than that. He’d never design men and women, in His image and likeness, only to have to plot out their every move. That would be what marketers call “make work.”

No, God did something far more amazing and glorious.

He designed us to be able to think. And work. And build things. On our own brainpower and brawn. Because He’s the ultimate, dazzling, loving father. It brings Him joy to see what you come up with. At least until you come up with ways to ignore and even remove Him from your life.

And my assertion is that when you tell unbelievers that everything in this world works according to God’s plan, you give them good reason to ignore and remove Him from their lives.

Someone else is currently in charge of this world. In fact, Jesus called him the “ruler of this world.” That certainly sounds like someone who’s in charge. Right? And that someone wants you to blame God for everything. And the world is more than willing to do just that.

Be like Jesus and as He designed you to be.

Everything is for a reason,

(from my song, A Thousand Times No)

subscribe to The TRUTH Journal and I’ll send that song (and other goodies) to your inbox right away.

Stay tuned,

The post In charge or not there’s still a plot appeared first on Tony Funderburk.